Wrapping apparatus



Sept. 10, 1935. c. E. BITTLE WRAPPING APPARATUS 1 Filed Oct. 6, 1935 ;the top or cover.

Patented Sept. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES AENT QFFIQE Claims.

This invention relates to wrapping apparatus and has special reference to devices for holding the article to be wrapped while a wrapper is being applied thereto. The device is designed pri marily for use in holding sliced bread while being wrapped but it may, of course, be advantageously employed for holding any other articles. A particular object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive device which may be used upon any ordinary table or bench and by the use of which the article to be wrapped will be firmly held and easily released after being wrapped. Another object of the invention is to provide a simple device which may be readily adjusted to accommodate and hold articles of various sizes within definite limits. Other objects will appear incidentally during the course of the following description and the invention resides in certain novel features which will be particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the annexed drawing,

Figure 1 is a plan View, partly broken away and in section, of a device embodying the present invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail section.

In carrying out the present invention, there is provided a frame consisting of side bars I and end bars 2, preferably arranged in rectangular relation and firmly secured together. A flat top or cover 3 is secured upon the frame and, preferably, a bottom plate 4 is secured thereto to prevent possible damage to the working elements which are disposed within the frame and below This frame is adapted to rest upon any table or bench, as indicated in Figure 2, and at one end a cross bar 5 is securedv to the underside of the frame to abut the end of the supporting table or bench and thereby prevent the device moving away from the operator while being used. There is also a cross bar 6 secured to the side bars of the frame, as clearly shown in Figure 1, and this cross bar is provided at its center with an opening I for a purpose which will presently appear. Upon the top 3 there are secured gauge bars 8 which are disposed parallel with and near the rear end and one side of the device, as shown clearly in Figure 1, and constitute stops or gauges against which sheets of wrapping paper are placed in a pile when the device is to be used.

slidably mounted in the front end bar 2 and in the cross bar 6 is a push bar 9 which is yieldably held in projecting position at the front end of the frame by a retractile spring I0. The front end portion of the push bar is slidably mounted in an opening which is provided at the center of the end bar 2 and the terminal of the push bar is formed integral with or has rigidly secured thereto a cross bar or handle member l2 which normally is disposed at the front of the device and in spaced relation to the end of the same, as clearly shown. Supplemental guides and supports I3 extend rearwardly from the ends of the handle member I2, at right angles thereto, and extend through openings M provided therefor in the end bar 2, as shown, whereby the push bar will be held to a rectilinear path in its movements. The rear end of the push bar 9 is disposed at the rear of the cross bar 6 and is laterally expanded some- What, as shown at I5, thereby defining a foot to which are pivoted the front ends of links 16 which diverge rearwardly from the push bar and extend at their rear ends through longitudinal slots ll formed in the side bars I of the frame, the spring l0 being extended between and attached at its ends to the links near the rear ends of the latter. The rear ends of the links l6 are pivotally engaged in levers l8 which are disposed at the sides of the frame and are pivoted at their rear extremities thereto, the drawing showing a cross bar 19 extended through the sides of the frame and projecting laterally beyond the same to the ends of which the levers are pivoted. The forward ends of the levers I8 are turned upwardly, as shown clearly at 20, and are then turned forwardly, as shown at 2|, and perforated whereby they constitute fingers toreceive the articlegrasping or holding arms 22. The arms 22 projectinwardly above the cover 3 and are adjustably held in the holding fingers by set screws 23 fitted in the forward ends of the fingers and arranged to impinge against the arms, as clearly shown in Figure 3. The inner extremities of the holding arms 22 are coiled into circular heads 24 which are disposed eccentrically relative to the arms so that by rotating the arms about their own axes the heads will be disposed in a lower or higher position and thereby arranged to accommodate and hold articles of various heights, as will be understood upon reference to the full and dotted lines in Figure 2. By shifting the arms 22 endwise within the holding fingers 2|, the jaws or grasping heads will be adjusted to accommodate 5 3 with their edges abutting the guide and gauge bars 8, as will be understood, and it may be noted that series of openings 25 are provided in the cover to receive studs or other projections on the ends of the gauge bars so that the bars can be set to accommodate wrapping sheets of various sizes. A slight pressure is exerted upon the handle 12 to move the same rearwardly or toward the front end of the frame against the action of the spring It, as will be understood upon reference to the dotted lines in Figure l. The push bar is thus caused to slide rearwardly and the links IE will, of course, move rearwardly and by reason of their diverging relation and connection to the levers [8 will move laterally at their rear ends so as to spread and swing the levers outwardly. The holding arms will, of course, follow the movements of the levers and will be retracted so as to permit the article to be wrapped to be placed at the center of the uppermost wrapper. The pressure upon the handle being then relieved the spring IE will at once return the parts toward their normal positions and cause the heads 24 to bear against the ends of the article which will thereby be firmly held until the wrapper has been placed around it by hand. After the wrapping has been completed, the pressure is again exerted by the operator leaning his body against the handle I2 and consequently separating the heads 24 to permit removal of the article. It will be understood that the jaws 22 may be separated to permit folding of the end portions of the wrapper against the ends of the article and then permitted to again engage the article so that the folded ends of the wrapper will be pressed against the article.

My device is exceedingly simple in construction and operation and may be produced and maintained at a very small cost. It is easily operated and will act efficiently at all times to perform its allotted function. It can be used on any present wrapping table and can be hung flat against a wall when not in use. The construction is strong to withstand rough usage and the device presents a neat appearance.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a frame having a flat top upon which wrappers and an article to be wrapped may rest, article-engaging elements pivotally mounted at the sides of the frame and operating above the frame, a push bar slidably mounted in the frame below the top thereof and yieldably held projected through the front end thereof to receive pressure from the operator, and diverging links pivoted at their forward ends to the push bar and at their rear ends to the article-engaging elements.

2. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a frame having a fiat top upon which wrappers and an article to be wrapped may rest, a push bar slidably mounted in the frame and projecting through the front end thereof, articleengaging elements pivoted at the sides of the frame and extending inwardly above the frame to engage or release an article resting on the wrappers thereon, diverging links pivoted at their front ends to the push bar and having their rear 10 end portions extending through the sides of the frame and pivoted to the article-engaging elements adjacent the pivoted ends thereof, and yieldable means connecting and holding the article-engaging elements toward each other.

3. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a frame having a fiat top upon which wrappers and an article to be wrapped may rest, levers pivoted at their rear ends at the sides of the frame, arms secured in and extending through the front ends of the levers and projecting inwardly over the frame to engage or release an article, means mounted in the frame and extending through the front end thereof to receive pressure for rocking the levers, and expanded heads on the inner ends of the arms to bear against the article to be wrapped.

4. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a frame having a flat top upon which wrappers and an article to be wrapped may rest, levers pivoted at their rear ends at the sides of the frame and having their forward ends extending upwardly and forwardly, means housed in the frame and connected with the levers for rocking the same toward and from each other, inwardly extending arms engaged through the front ends of the levers and rotatable and movable endwisc therein, means for securing the arms in a set position, and expanded heads at the inner ends of the arms eccentric thereto for bearing against the ends of the articles to be wrapped.

5. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a frame adapted to rest upon a bench or similar support and having a flat top upon which a pile of wrappers may rest, jaws movably mounted at the sides of the frame and operating above the wrappers to grasp an article resting on the wrappers, means within the frame for operating the jaws, said means including an actuating element slidably engaged through the front of the frame and yieldably held extended with the jaws in a normal position, and a stop on the under side of the frame at the front end thereof to abut the support and prevent movement of the frame upon the support when pressure is applied to force the actuating element inwardly and move the jaws out of their normal position.

CLARENCE E. BIT'I'LE. 

